That image remained deeply engraved in Muen’s mind.

In the [True Royal Capital], in the underground sea of flowers known as the Burial Ground of Saints, the young nun had driven the black dagger in her hand into the Archbishop’s chest, completely extinguishing the last sliver of life Archbishop Ision still possessed after already being gravely wounded.

It was like the final supporting beam being pulled from a crumbling building. Having lost the Archbishop, the [True Royal Capital] concealed behind falsehood was destined to fall at terrifying speed.

And it was precisely because he had seen that image that Muen had drawn up such an aggressive and dangerous plan, even going so far as to face the Salvation Society powerhouse supporting such a vast false image head-on, intending to break through the falsehood in the shortest possible time and open a path to support and save the [True Royal Capital].

Muen simply had not expected that he would actually see that young nun who had backstabbed Archbishop Ision here as well.

Strictly speaking, from a logical standpoint, this was not anything especially surprising. After all, since this enormous false image was based on [reality], then this “traitor,” who had not yet betrayed the Church at this moment, would naturally remain beside “Archbishop Ision,” who was still Archbishop Ision at this moment.

But her appearance inevitably made one curious.

In the [True Royal Capital], how had that other version of her gradually approached Archbishop Ision and won his trust?

“I... I got some information.”

While Muen was thinking, Bishop Kore, whom he had just driven away to gather information, quickly returned. His body, already somewhat bloated and fat, clearly had a hard time supporting such intense movement, and he did not dare casually use Holy Light in front of everyone, so his head was already covered in sweat.

Fortunately, that did not affect the speed at which he gathered information.

“I asked some acquaintances to get information on that nun. It should be useful to you.”

“Talk.”

“Her name is Fubeka. She is a trainee nun from Saint Blancfazesiya Cathedral’s 130th class, and she was also a child selected from one of the orphanages under the cathedral.”

“The 130th class?”

“The class from five years ago.”

“Very young.”

Muen frowned.

Five years sounded long at first, but for a nun who might spend her entire life serving the Goddess in a church, it was far too short.

More than that, going from a trainee nun to a position where she could approach the Archbishop at any time in a mere five years... no matter how he thought about it, something was strange.

“Yes. She’s very young, and she isn’t some special talent the Church started training early because of a unique constitution or anything like that. According to the records, aside from a relatively outstanding Holy Light constitution, there is nothing special about her.”

“How outstanding is relatively outstanding?” Muen asked. “Be precise.”

“Mm... To make a comparison, if Her Holiness’s Holy Light affinity is ten, then Fubeka’s Holy Light affinity should be around six. Compared to Her Holiness, that’s only passing, but among the Church’s nuns, it’s already considered upper-tier.” Bishop Kore secretly glanced around and lowered his voice.

Using Her Holiness as the comparison point was far too disrespectful.

But it was indeed very intuitive. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

“Sixty percent...”

Muen thought of Liya’s kind of powerful Holy Light spellcraft, where as long as she had enough Holy Light, she could practically give herself limitless stamina and use that delicate body to fight all night until dawn...

“All right, I more or less understand her level. So she was able to stay beside the Archbishop after just five years because of that Holy Light affinity?”

“No, no, no... That shouldn’t be possible either. Her Holy Light affinity is decent, but it definitely isn’t enough to let her rise to the top in one step. It isn’t as though the Church has no one at the same level as her, or even above her...”

Bishop Kore shook his head and said with absolute certainty, “Although there are no issues with the procedures visible so far, there must be something else fishy behind her rising so quickly!”

Muen took the file from Bishop Kore and quickly flipped through it. Within, he could see in detail the promotion path of the young nun named Fubeka.

Starting as a trainee nun five years ago, she had first studied at a poor, remote convent. During that period, she had won the affection of many children, and the ordinary civilians around her had also held her in high regard.

Then she successfully passed her trainee period and naturally entered the preaching hall of a church in a certain district, where she drew in many devout believers. Among them were even several believers of other minor righteous gods who were moved by her and threw themselves into the Goddess’s embrace.

Next, she formally entered the cathedral, and two years ago, developed a certain low-level Holy Light spell that could increase the speed of wound healing by five percent. Several high-ranking figures in the cathedral had even praised that Holy Light spell endlessly, openly saying on a public occasion that it was an extremely creative development.

After that... she rose all the way up as a matter of course. After all, with an achievement like “developing a Holy Light spell that even important figures in the cathedral praised endlessly,” no one would voluntarily jump out and raise doubts. So, up until two months ago, Fubeka was promoted twice in a row again and directly appointed as the Archbishop’s attendant nun, responsible for helping the Archbishop handle miscellaneous affairs and taking care of his daily life.

“...What a familiar way to get promoted.” Muen’s mouth twitched.

“Right!”

Bishop Kore gnashed his teeth. “I’ve seen this kind of promotion method far too many times, because I once also let—”

“Hm?”

“Ahem, nothing. I only wanted to prove there’s a problem.”

Bishop Kore coughed dryly twice and became serious.

“In short, before this, I only had a vague feeling. But now, after investigating according to your request, that Sister Fubeka absolutely has a problem!”

“What do you think?”

Muen glanced at this “professional” who had taken the back door beside him.

“Her promotion path was clearly paved for her by someone. And that person’s status is high enough, and they can obtain enough of the Archbishop’s trust. Otherwise, the Archbishop would not have kept that Fubeka by his side as an attendant nun.”

Bishop Kore was very certain. Although the Church openly forbade such things, wherever there were people, there would be worms eating away from within. He was far too familiar with all the twists and turns involved.

“Who do you think that person is?”

“This... is a little difficult to be sure of.”

Bishop Kore suddenly grew awkward and scratched his head.

“Someone able to reach that kind of position would definitely act with great caution. Even if we started investigating from Fubeka, we definitely wouldn’t be able to find any trace.”

“Like the person who helped you?”

“Exactly! That kind of person definitely does things so subtly it’s like rain seeping in without a sound. Even if you want to catch their slipups, from the perspective of rules and procedures, it’s basically impossible.”

“But I don’t want to catch their slipups. Right now, I only want to know who that person is.”

Muen sighed helplessly.

Promoting Fubeka, letting her stay beside Archbishop Ision, and then having her backstab him at the most critical moment, causing the entire situation to completely slide into an irreversible abyss...

All the information indicated that among the upper levels of power in Saint Blancfazesiya, a massive gap had appeared, one successfully corroded by the Salvation Society.

But up until now, Muen still did not know who that “gap” was.

Or rather, who they were.

That was dangerous.

“Can you find out? Before tonight.”

“To... tonight?”

Bishop Kore’s eyes went round. “You might as well kill me. With only a few hours, how could I possibly find such a massive mastermind behind the scenes? If you gave me a month or two, I might be able to smell out something with my keen instincts. But a few hours? That’s too short!”

“...”

Muen sighed again.

Yes. Time was too short.

Just like the flow of funds Bishop Kore had provided earlier, and some of the connections behind it. Muen had already had people with the authority to investigate look into them at the fastest speed possible.

But there was no time to produce a result.

Because time was far too short. In just a few brief days, he had no choice but to go from a stranger who had only just entered this city to one of the protagonists standing on its most dazzling stage.

That amount of time was not even enough for him to fully understand this city, nor enough for him to fully understand the entire cathedral.

“Forget it. There’s no point agonizing over that kind of thing at a time like this. Besides, no matter what, Fubeka and the person behind her are only minor branches. The one who truly matters is still Archbishop Ision.”

Muen rubbed his temples and instructed Bishop Kore,

“Continue investigating the cathedral’s upper levels. Don’t alarm anyone.”

“Understood. Then what about you?”

“I...”

Muen took a deep breath.

“There’s still a little time. I’ll look around, clear my head along the way, and adjust my condition for a certain matter later. The investigation can make no progress, but that matter cannot be allowed to fail.”

“Understood. If you want to clear your head, I recommend the flower garden west of the main sanctuary at the center of the Ritual Hall. The royal gardeners are responsible for maintaining it. Even on rainy days, the scenery there is quite...”

In a public place, Bishop Kore did not dare bow. He only lowered his voice, speaking with a hint of other meaning.

“That garden is said to be one the Archbishop likes very much as well.”

“I see.”

Muen gave Bishop Kore a deep look and discovered that although this man was greedy for money, fond of power, and had a vile personality, at least in terms of ability, he was extremely reliable, and not unworthy of his identity as a bishop.

“Then I’ll take my leave first...”

Bishop Kore prepared to leave.

But the instant he turned around, this bishop who had relied on outside force to climb to his position suddenly looked back again, cautiously looking at Muen.

“Um... Can I ask one final question?”

“Ask.”

“If I help you accomplish your goal, help the Judgment Temple, and even help the people at a higher level behind you complete this matter, then may I... count as having climbed to this position through my own ability? Am I qualified... to become a true bishop?”

Bishop Kore was actually quite old. His hair was streaked with gray, and his face had many wrinkles.

But when he looked at Muen, his eyes carried a very childish sort of expectation...

And stubbornness.

“Perhaps,” Muen answered.

“Truly?” Bishop Kore pressed. “Can I really?”

“...Yes. What you’ve done is indeed already worthy of the name of bishop.”

Muen was no longer ambiguous, and instead answered very seriously.

“However...”

He suddenly smiled again. “This doesn’t seem like a very good time to ask that question. It sounds like you’re setting up some kind of flag from a street-stall story where you’re about to die immediately afterward.”

“Haha, no way. I’m Kore, a man who survived even after being cut open. How could I die that easily?”

Bishop Kore patted his chest.

“Any other missions, just leave them to me. I’ll definitely complete them!”

“I know. But for now, the only mission is the one from just now.”

“Understood. I’ll definitely dig out what’s fishy here!”

As though the ambition from his youth, when he had wanted to pursue this position through his own ability, had been reignited, Bishop Kore’s steps even became much lighter, no longer matching his fat, bloated appearance.

He soon vanished from Muen’s sight.

At the top of the hall, brilliant lights came on.

The clergy around him hurried back and forth, and everything proceeded in orderly fashion.

“Does this count as deception?”

Muen suddenly muttered to himself.

Not deception over whether Kore was qualified to become a bishop.

Rather...

“Even though...”

Muen raised his head and looked at the distant city in the rain.

“For this [False Royal Capital], everything will completely end tonight.”